Farm and Home Show, Presho 2006

A pre-spring arrival in the smaller towns on the S. Dak. prairie is the Farm and Home Show. At Presho this was held Saturday in the community building. The basketball bank boards were out of the way and plastic film protected the floor. The bleacher seats were folded.

Entering, one was faced with not the ticket tackeer but an order counter for lunch. The menu was Indian tacos for the waciu though later I noted no preponderance of Lakota (Sioux Indians) or reps of the South.

Yes, it was a promotional idea to set the pleasant juices flowing from the tummy to the brain stem. Anticipation of food and pleasant thoughts to follow in touring the display booth was the strategy.

About fifty display booths catering art work, quilts, gutters, newspapers, telephones, health products, bank service and abortion, but no snake oil or hucksters. Town businesses were represented like home heating,bank, telephone, but the one I had to visit was the reps of the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks.

The Department has been criticised for allowing it's wardens (conservation officers) to enter private land without notice or approval of the land owner. I think maybe a warden that sees a blaze of red and a gun carrying person in the field is suspect and must "check him out".

The two wardens were neat in appearance and friendly. One was wearing a pistol holder though I do not know if it was filled. Reminded me of the Brit's Bobby who carried the stick but no weapon. His word and uniform was sufficient, " I sey ole chap". I had to question one of the men, (no female wardens) about the possible Avian flu introduction by the ducks, geese, pelican migratory invasion. Not noted as yet as most of the migratory patterns are in the European and Asiatic area where spotted outbreaks are noted. Would be a disaster for the flu to spread to the pheasant population for South Dakota hunters and the income for the S.D. Department.

Entertainment? That was a cracker barrel session by local legislators.
S. Dak. legislature is awaiting the approval of the executive Governor of the abolishing of abortion in S.. Dak. I look at the pickle barrel question of the abortion question. Is it the majority wish of the citizens in the legislature or is it a legal question. A news release notes that a million dollars has been promised to carry the challenge to the Supreme Court of the U.S. I don't know if the million dollar baby is a registered lobbyist or is it illegal to promise dollars for a non-veto by the Governor.

Jim Wooster a lad of Reliance and a former resident of Lyman county was the entertainer His auctioneer type of patter of his stories were bite and bit. Hardly any young people around to listen as silver haired, baseball capped men and bonnet free moms listened and clapped approval. The Wooster farm boys left the rural area a long ago. The example they set is still the pattern of the farm kids, cut and go east, west, north, or south but any direction, some up some down , but go.
Wosterized the grandmothers with songs of their childhood days via the prairie harp.

Of naught for money, but glad they were here to see and ponder the smaller slice of life in Presho.
LH

Compulsory Kindergarten in S. Dak schools

Governor Rounds recomended Kindergarten be mandatory in S. Dak. Schools. It might be that future citizens of South Dakota need to know their songs and dances--and colours too from red to blue.

After George Hearst bought the original claim for Homestake his wife Phoebe had the foresite to provide for the education of the gold miners' children by having a large building built for Kindergarteners. The picture of the building appeared in the Rapid City Journal several months aback. T'was no country school building but a three or four story building. Since a number of the miners were immigrants their children would most likely be potential miners. I had a letter written in 1903-5 by a family friend, Churchill, who taught kindergarten in that area too. I remember she mentioned going down lower main street in Deadwood to Chicken Louies for supper after school---but always walked on the sidewalk opposite the "Girls of the Gulch. Perhaps George Carr's book on Phoebe Hearst will have more details on Kindergarten in Deadwood/Lead.

If Gov. Rounds was thinking of the golden touch in education in South Dakota by promoting Kindergarten best to think ahead and provide the money for the average daily attendance of those students from the State aid per student. Are their mothers going to be driving twice a day to some attendance center and be reimbursed a few cents a mile beyond the five miles. Sen Bouge of Faith might have a little buzz on that problem.

Who will pay the cost of the piper or rhythmn sticks or conductor. What will be the athletic program for the K's? I suggest TIDDLEY WINKS. The South Dakota Tiddly Winks Athletic Association will be created with the A and B and C divisions. To save mileage and food costs for competition between clubs the laptops and computers will carry the squigee games live by streaming. Moms could be the cheery leaders and some Bank could account for a scholarship or two. You Bet Dwd will support the Kindergarten Games.

I certainly support Kindergarten schools even with the "Winks" in the pot.

Goats getting Kentuckian goats

The Boer goat is being raised for its meat. The State with the most Boers is Texas followed by Kentucky.
A news article in the Kentucky Living magazine, a product of the electric coops in Kentucky, features the goats that are in great demand for its meat producing quality. As the smaller tobacco farmer is selling his government quota back to the Dept of Agriculture goating may be the income produce from the land.

As goats are hair coated perhaps they will be raised further north as global warming , at least this year in S. Dak., and multi=ethnic demand will make it a profitable venture for the small unit farm/ranch.

Goat tying is a part of the Rodeo circuit. If your bent towards a rustling life perhaps that would be necessary training to earn a profitable living on the open range or later closed range.